Cool Water
by Noelle D. Gray
Summary: As Caliban is forced into helping the Reavers he meets a representative from the USAF who is on his side. A young woman named Chapman who shows him kindness and affection. They form a bond while trying to make it through this mission alive and escape to safety. Rated M for language, future intimate situations and violence. PLEASE REVIEW


The men with metal arms dragged Caliban into his home and harshly sat him down on a stool. All around him were pairs of boots and he filled with dread. His eyes dared to look up as the ringleader when he raised his hood, some asshole that the mutant couldn't take seriously for more than one reason. The main one being his name was Donald. The second was the stupid accent that dripped off his lips in a level of arrogance that Caliban had come to expect from humans. The cocky human came to kneel down in front of him as though he was a child.

"I read about you when I was a kid…" the man said his eyes lighting up like he'd found some long lost childhood hero.

"I believe you're thinking of someone else," Caliban retorted.

"Hmm…" Donald replied with a sudden and unwarranted punch across his face. The force was enough to make Caliban lose his balance and grab hold of a railing. The Reavers were so engrossed with what their leader was doing to notice that the only female soldier in the company wince slightly before gathering her bearing. Donald let Caliban begin to get his breath back as he pulled out a rag and wiped his hand as if touching the mutant disgusted him.

"Now if I'm not mistaken, you used to work for my team. You were helping round up those old muts. What changed? You got religion?" Donald asked and Caliban didn't give him a response. He gave him a second longer to respond and when nothing was given he exhaled and stooped down to his level once again. "I'm gonna need you to do one more thing for the good guys and track one more," he deliberately raised his robotic arm to gesture one. Showing the fragile mutant in front of him the power he held over him, "special mut for me."

Caliban considered it for a long moment that everyone in the room felt. He knew what he was about to say would afford him another strike but he said it anyway, "I'm not helping you."

"Of course you'd say that," Donald seemed almost amused by his answer. A smile twisting at his lips threateningly, "but I got a theory that people don't really change." He looked around and the anticipation didn't only rack up and down his own tall lanky body but behind the cold stare of the Airmen watching from the side. She nervously picked at her thumbnail waiting to see what he'd do next.

"Beware the light…" Donald said calmly. The words drew Caliban's pale eyes up to look at him with light intrigue and fear, "Caliban I bet that's what your momma told you everyday when you's a kid…" he clicked his tongue slowly pulling out a knife his eyes refusing to look at the mutant that disgusted him. The sharp metallic ringing sliced the tension and the female airmen almost gasped out but held her bearing. It slowly came to Caliban what this monster was about to do. He didn't get out a shake of his head let alone a word of protest before Peirce cut the rope flooding the room with light.

Caliban tried to cower away but was met with two Reavers holding him in place. The sunlight burned his skin bombarding his senses with unimaginable pain as his skin burned red then black. His shrieks filled the room tugging at the Airmen, it was taking every fiber of her being to not rush to his aid.

"Now, let's not bring out the worst in each other," Donald said as if Caliban's very species put him physically on par with the Reavers making what he was doing morally alright, "the girl's not worth it, trust me. She's not a natural fuck up like you. She's a business mistake an RND gone bad. There's liability. We can't have things with patents running around hurting people can they?" Donald knelt at Caliban's eye level, "we need to get her off the board before she hurts somebody else….someone you care about...maybe…"

The words were drowned out by Caliban's screams of pain. Behind him the Reavers showed no emotion. A thread of spit dropped from his mouth amidst the screams. At that moment he'd agree to anything and Donald knew that. He stood and grabbed a towel, his eyes meeting that of the Airmen. She held her stone cold expression but he saw in her eyes that this was affecting her as well. A smirk touched his lips and he turned back slowly, every second causing the mutant more pain. Finally he tossed the cloth over his bald head. "So get to sniffin'."

Donald's men threw Caliban into the back of one of their armored cars and as they were physically superior and the mutant was in such pain they left the doors open. He looked up as a woman approached the vehicle. She was short compared to the Reavers and her hair was dark, cut choppily at her chin. Her uniform was familiar to him, she was air force. He was a little rusty on ranks but he guessed a Senior Airmen. Nothing of note, probably with them as a rep from her branch. About to step up into the car Donald caught her arm, wrenching her down to her natural height.

"Airmen Chapman something I'm doing not up to snuff with you?" he practically spat at her.

"No. I'm just new to the use of torture to get info, that's all," she quipped.

"That's not torture, it was an interrogation."

"Right I must've missed that part. Was it before the slap or after you burned him? Because last time I checked an interrogation involved questions not orders and compromise not suffering," she spat right back at him.

"We did what we had to do. We got our piggy." he smirked at her anger.

"You got our _man_ , he's a man Donnie. Not a pig. And that was all you," Chapman said before wrenching her arm away, climbing in and slamming the door shut. Outside the Reavers looked at Donald and they all laughed.

"We got ourselves a Mut Lover," he laughed.

"She's a woman, probably can't handle real combat."

"What did you think?! She's chair force!"

"Better make sure she doesn't fuck him. She'd fall for any sob story," they were all laughing at her. Chapman sighed taking off her cover and looking at him.

"Are you okay?"

He curled up and looked away from her. No answer just pain ruled his system. She approached him slowly, taking the towel off him. Dosing it in water before kneeling in front of him. Dabbing the soaked cloth on his burns. He flinched and moved away from her.

"I'm not going to hurt you..."

"How do I know that? How can I trust you?"

"I know you won't trust me but at least let me put some Neosporin on the burns...some aloe? I don't want you to get sick..." She said calmly.

He stared at her before nodding.

She smiled softly, "it'll sting a little bit..."

"I know how Neosporin works. I'm not a child," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh...I'm sorry..." She said and got to work dabbing the wounds with burn cream. She didn't say anything for a long time, "I'm Senior Airmen Winslow Chapman."

"I know I heard him say your name."

"Okay...I'll just shut up then..." She said and sighed finishing the work some time later. Agreeably he did feel a bit better. "There you go handsome..."

Caliban watched her put her stuff away and the thought crossed his mind to kill her and escape. She sighed again and sat on the bench. Her eyes meeting his. She smiled at him softly. He wouldn't fall for this fake sympathy. So he looked away from her.

"Here..." She outstretched her canteen, "it's not cold but it's something..."

Cautiously he went to take it but sat back. She looked confused but then her face lit up. Taking a swig of the water to show him it was okay. "Please drink some. I don't know how long we'll have..."

He took the canteen slowly and sipped it.

"I wish I could do something more."

"Why…?"

"You are just a person living your life peacefully. I'm an Airman of the USAF it's my job to protect you."

"I'm English."

"You're an innocent..." She smiled, "but I'm a sucker for an English accent."

"I'm a mutant. The government doesn't like mutants."

"I don't care. You're a person. You have a mind, a heart and soul. I feel it in my heart that what the Reavers are doing is very wrong..."

He looked at her not believing her completely. Then again, who could blame him. She took a drink and grimaced, "You know when I was in basic training all the water was warm. It was in Texas in the summer so the pipes were heated just from the weather. I thought I could never get used to it but it was so hot that any water was good... I forgot how great ice water was... Oh and the canteens were gross...chipped and grimey..." She sighed, a silence formed between them,

"Please..." She begged, "what do I have to do to convince you I'm on your side?"

"I don't know...not be apart of the men who want to kill and destroy all mutant kind?"

"I'm not! Do you see any robotic limbs? Did I hurt you myself? No!"

"You're still with them. Guilt by association."

"How am I supposed to help you if I'm not here?! You're working for them too. So does that make you guilty too?"

"There is a difference in being forced."

"And I was sent by order from my commander. What is the difference?" She crossed her arms.

He went silent after that. In his heart he knew she was right. There was no difference between them.

"What do I have to do to convince you I'm on your side?" She asked again, "I'll do anything..."

"Just don't let them hurt me."

"I'll try my best sweetheart...but I can't risk them thinking I care..."

"I understand..."

They rode in silence for a long time before they stopped. The doors opened, Donald came in, "you smell the girl?"

He sighed heavily "Yes..."

"Where?"

He looked in the direction, "That way..."

They continued on. The ride was long and the road bumpy. Chapman began to recount her times in basic training to try and distract from the inevitable car sickness, "My MTI hated me..."

"Hm?"

"No matter what I did...it was always wrong...he singled me out to be the example to the flight..." She came across to sit beside him. Unbuttoning her jacket a bit. "Here feel this..." She guided his hand to her heart and he felt the unnatural pace of her heart. Looking at her with a quizzical expression. "My MTI scared me so much I developed a problem with my heart due to the high stress levels..."

"That is terrible..." he whispered.

"I'm fine. It happens...why did you leave?"

"I couldn't take what I was doing anymore. And...Logan asked for help."

"That's noble..." She said, "you're very unique..."

He chuckled a bit, "No I'm not..."

"How could you say that?"

"Because I'm not. I'm just a freak," He huffed and shook his head, "look at me…"

"I don't think so..."

"Why?"

"I think your skin and eyes are beautiful..."

"For an albino."

"For a man..." She spoke softly her hazel eyes meeting his with a look in them that make his heart leap.

He stared at her before looking back out at the landscapes through the barred windows. When he didn't respond more than that Chapman's heart sank and she fidgeted with her nails again.

"I'm sorry..." She said and switched back to the other bench.

Realizing this was not the right thing to do after a woman complimented him without being paid he stammered, "N-no...I'm just not used to this..."

"It's alright...I shouldn't have said anything..." she seemed to shrink into herself, "it was a stupid thing for me to say…"

Caliban went silent again but continued to look out at her from the corner of his eye. He hoped this wasn't just some plot to win him over into staying with the Reavers. Despite the fear was growing fond of her and it'd pain him to no end if this, the first woman to look at him in kindness, was all just a lie.


End file.
